NIPP: Promise made, promise fulfilled

Monday, 19 November 2012 00:00

Written by Charles Okonji

For Chris Akamnonu, Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Distribution Company (IDC) of Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc (PHCN), “the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) is a promise made and promise fulfilled.” Not that Nigerians can, at the moment, comfortably shout uhuru over epileptic power supply, but that the current NIPPs, no doubt, will boost the electricity situation in the country.

Last week, following the completion of various NIPPs in Lagos, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), which is responsible for all the NIPPs in the country, handed over some of these projects to both IDC and Eko Distribution Company (EDC).

In EDC, 1 x15 MVA, 33/11kv transformer at the NITEL Injection Substation was commissioned, while 2x60 MVA 132/33kva injection substations at Ojo was equally commissioned at IDC, among other projects.

About 242 Complete Self Protected (CSP) transformers were installed in Olorunshogo area of Mushin with over 3,000 households benefiting from the installations. In Ikorodu, 240 CSP transformers were instated at Ipakodo and another 240 CSP transformers were instated at Ijede. Also, NDHPC installed 246 CSP transformers at Imota and 240 CSP transformers at Agbowa, all in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

Akamnonu, while acknowledging NDPHC’s efforts, said: “The NIPPs will not only make more power available, the projects will also to make the majority of the power supply more reliable through the use of Complete Self Protected (CSP) transformers.

“We have also taken over the service wires, which we intend to use to service the entire customers that are connected to these CSP transformers. When we complete it, customers will have even more quality electricity supply.

“We want to use this opportunity to say to Nigerians that we are very grateful to Mr. President and his team. It is like a dream comes true. Some months back, we made a statement that we are in a season of harvest. That statement is being fulfilled.

“From here, we are going to other locations where are going to take over other transformers as well as commission two more injection substations. We want to thank God and thank Nigerians for their patience.

“We want to assure Nigerians that power supply, which President Jonathan promised them, is indeed a reality. Quite frankly, we have never had it so good. It is a promise made and a promise fulfilled,” he stressed.

The Chief Executive Officer of EDC, Mr. Oladele Amoda, noted that the efforts were geared towards stopping the incessant load shedding, which had always been responsible for the irregular electricity supply.

Amoda said: “We used to have problem of overloading due to the small capacity transformers available but now we have 36 megawatts from the installation of 45MVA transformers at the Nitel Injection Substation.

“Other equipment were also installed to replace obsolete equipment which were hitherto risky to operate, hence electricity has become stable in the area and the consumers now believe that power can be delivered due to the notice of improvements since load shedding has stopped,” he pointed out.

He further disclosed that NDPHC was making efforts to complete all projects by December and commission them for electricity customers to enjoy steady power supply.According to him, the transformers hung on the poles would help to reduce act of vandalism of electricity facilities.

He revealed that there were 27 NIPPs in the Eko Zone which included 10 brand new injection substations and additional 15 MVA transformers being installed in diverse locations in the zone to reinforce existing ones.

While assuring customers that there would get steady electricity supply as from December to enable them enjoy the Christmas period, he said: “We plan to have more than 20 hours electricity supply per day on the average and eventually have 24 hours supply going forward.

Yinka said: “Prior to this time, what we had in Ajangbadi was just 15MVA transformer which was about 12 megawatts and the load in Ajangbadi is in excess of 20 megawatts.

“It was no longer possible for that single transformer to cope with the load. That was why we had to resort to serious load shedding to save the life of the transformer.

“Quite a lot of work have actually been done in the area in the sense that in a very short while it will all be manifesting. NDPHC, through the NIPPs, has brought in an additional capacity to the area.

“With the additional transformer gives us additional 12 megawatts to handle 24 megawatts. We have started the reconfiguration of 11kva feeder which is the line that goes to all the streets in Ajangbadi to the extent that the load shedding will be completely eliminated.

“We have commenced the work since and we are still doing some experimentation to make the configuration get the best result.

“Each of these ones gives about 48MW because these are 60MVA transformers. Prior to now, what we had was just about 60 MVA that is 2x30MVA which gives us approximately 25 megawatts each. Now we now have 146 megawatts which is capable of taking care of the load requirements of the area and also feed the environs.

“In addition to this, NDPHC is also installing 108MVA to the existing injection power transformer and additional 15 MVA to the existing 2x15 MVA. Now we have 45 MVA.

“There is also another 15 MVA at Alaba, 2X15 MVA at Iba, additional 2x15 at FESTAC town. By the time all these existing projects in the axis are commissioned, load shedding will be a thing of the past,” he further said.

Director of Ak-Ay Elektrik Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ikechukwu Boniface, who constructed the injection substation at Ojo, Lagos, stated that all the pieces of equipment used for the Ojo substation were standard and well-tested equipment.

Boniface said: “The transformer did not come from China. The transformer was manufactured in Turkey. All the equipment you are seeing here came from Turkey, while the circus breakers came from Sweden. The manufacturing of any of these equipment has standard processes.

“First, you have to go through filling of the technical data field, which must be approved by the client. After that, the client goes to inspect the equipment during and after manufacturing. So, the equipment has certain characteristics, which must be passed during those tests.

“It is after confirmation of conformity to the standard that you will have the instruction to even ship the equipment. By the time you shipped, cleared and installed, you also go through other test procedures – the final pre-commissioning test, which must also conform to what you have at the factory,” he stated.

While adding that the PHCN staff had been trained on how to handle the equipment, he added: “Training is one of the components of the project because without training there is no way they will be able to effectively take over from us after the installation. They are also part of the installation and the training started right from the construction.”

The NIPPs were not limited to Lagos, as NDPHC had executed other projects in different parts of the country. The company, a source said, had built some projects in the Eastern and Northern parts of the country, as well as Ibadan and other parts of the Western states.

Chief Executive Officer NDPHC, Mr. James Olotu, said that other projects would be commissioned in other parts of the country to boost the electricity supply.

Olotu said: “For years now, we have been working to deliver on these projects and this is truly our year of harvest on all NIPP projects in the country.

We have about 67 NIPP projects within Lagos metropolis. We equally promised that two projects would be commissioned on monthly basis across the country till December.”

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